INGREDIENTS

PREPARATION

•• Peel the potatoes and cut into chunks of 2-1/2 inches. •• Place the potatoes into a bowl of cold water and rinse until the water runs clear, eliminating the starch.••Strain and place the potatoes in a large pan with cold water and salt to taste. •• Over a medium heat bring the potatoes to a full boil for approximately 15-20 minutes. •• To test the readiness of the potatoes, take a small cutting knife and pierce random pieces then hold the knife upwards.•• When the potato falls from the knife back into the water, the potato is ready. •• Note that the potatoes should be cooked to softness and not mush, in preparation for a purée. •• To prepare the cabbage, cut in one half and reserve the other half for future use. •• Cut the cabbage into portions of approximately 1 inch thickness and then into smaller bite size portions. •• Place in a colander and rinse throughly, taking care to remove any excess sand. •• Peel half of the sweet onion and a garlic clove. •• Slice and dice into small pieces. •• Using the flat of your knife, crunch the garlic with a pinch of salt. •• In a pre-warmed sauté pan over a medium heat, combine 1 tbsp of olive oil with 1 tsp of butter. •• Once you have observed slight bubbling, add the onion and crunched garlic. •• Reduce the heat to medium low and allow the mixture to sweat, bringing forth the sweetness of the onions. •• Cook the mixture slowly to avoid burning, stirring occasionally until you observe a golden hue. •• When the onions are ready, add the cabbage into the sauté pan along with 2 tbsps of butter and 3 tbsps of water. •• Let the cabbage steam down slowly until tender, but not mushy. •• Purée the potatoes, using a hand-held masher. •• Combine 5 tbsps of butter with the potatoes along with 3 tbsps of half and half. •• Salt and pepper to taste. •• Purée the potatoes to a chunky consistency, avoiding smoothness. •• Mix the potato purée into the sauté pan of cabbage, gently folding the potato purée into the mixture. •• Top with butter and serve piping hot.••

An Irish Recipe for Saint Patrick’s Day

Serves 2

With just a week to go until Saint Patrick’s Day, we’ve been experimenting with two separate recipes for the traditional Irish dish, Colcannon…using red potatoes, Savoy cabbage and lots of creamy Irish butter! Serve this hearty classic alongside steamed carrots and homemade Irish soda bread to make for an authentically delicious and simply satisfying taste of Irish cuisine.

INGREDIENTS

Classic Colcannon is made with white-headed cannonball cabbage, which is quite popular in the United States. For this recipe we opted for the more aesthetic and lacy textured Savoy cabbage which is named after the Savoy Region in France. Another preference is that Savoy cabbage does not turn into mush when cooked. This varietal has the same flavor and appearance as regular cabbage when cooked, but retains a firm texture and crunchiness, which is desired for this recipe.

PREPARATION

•• Peel the potatoes and cut into chunks of 2-1/2 inches. •• Place the potatoes into a bowl of cold water and rinse until the water runs clear, eliminating the starch.••Strain and place the potatoes in a large pan with cold water and salt to taste. •• Over a medium heat bring the potatoes to a full boil for approximately 15-20 minutes. •• To test the readiness of the potatoes, take a small cutting knife and pierce random pieces then hold the knife upwards.•• When the potato falls from the knife back into the water, the potato is ready. •• Note that the potatoes should be cooked to softness and not mush, in preparation for a purée. •• To prepare the cabbage, cut in one half and reserve the other half for future use. •• Cut the cabbage into portions of approximately 1 inch thickness and then into smaller bite size portions. •• Place in acolander and rinse throughly, taking care to remove any excess sand. •• Prepare the leeks by removing the dark green leafy ends. •• Cut the leek vertically in half and then slice into ringlets. •• Peel half of the sweet onion and a garlic clove. •• Slice and dice into small pieces. •• Using the flat of your knife, crunch the garlic with a pinch of salt. •• In a pre-warmed sauté pan over a medium heat, combine 1 tbsp of olive oil with 1 tsp of butter. •• Once you have observed slight bubbling, add the onion, crunched garlic and leeks. •• Reduce the heat to medium low and allow the mixture to sweat, bringing forth the sweetness of the onions and the leeks. •• Cook the mixture slowly to avoid burning, stirring occasionally until you observe a golden hue. •• When the onion and leek mixture is ready, add the cabbage into the sauté pan along with 2 tbsps of butter and 3 tbsps of water. •• Let the mixture cook down slowly over a low heat for approximately 20 minutes to softness. •• Purée the potatoes, using a hand-held masher. •• Combine 5 tbsps of butter with the potatoes along with 3 tbsps of half and half. •• Salt and pepper to taste. •• Purée the potatoes to a chunky consistency, avoiding smoothness. •• Mix the potato purée into the sauté pan of cabbage and leeks, gently folding the potato purée into the mixture. •• Top with butter and serve piping hot.••

Translated into English, Salade Variée means “varied salad”. So be a little daring and get creative with various combinations of healthy ingredients that blend well together in both taste and presentation!

PREPARATION

•• Begin by peeling the skin from the potato and slice into bite size cubes. •• Place the potato cubes in a large bowl and rinse until the bowl water runs clear, removing all excess of starch. •• Using a sauté pan, evenly situate the potato cubes, cover generously with water and bring to a boil over a high heat. •• Once at the full boiling point, immediately reduce to a medium/low heat and add one tsp of salt. •• Cover with a lid and cook for about 5 – 7 minutes or until you have observed that the potatoes are cooked but firm. •• Drain into a colander and set aside. •• While the potatoes are cooking, prepare your green beans by snapping off and discarding the ends. •• Wash and steam the green beans in pan for 3 minutes then drain and set aside. •• Clean and dice your zucchini into bite sized pieces then set aside. •• Prepare the hard boiled eggs. •• Once cooked, set aside in a bowl filled with cold water. •• Peel half of the sweet onion and a garlic clove, then slice and dice into small pieces. •• Using the flat of your knife, crunch the garlic with a pinch of salt. •• In a sauté pan, combine the onion and garlic with 1 tbsp of olive oil. •• Over a medium/low heat, allow the ingredients to sweat for approximately 4 minutes. •• Add the potatoes, zucchini along with a dash of nutmeg and sauté over a medium heat until golden brown, not burned. •• Add the green beans along with a tbsp of butter, gently mixing all the ingredients until the butter is fully melted. •• Remove the sauté pan from the heat and arrange the salad on a serving platter. •• Remove the shells from the cooled, hard boiled eggs. •• Slice the eggs into halves or quarters, as preferred and decorate the top of your Salade Variée. •• Drizzle a few drops of olive oil, freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste and serve this dish, slightly warm.••